1. Field of the Invention
The invention is related to a valve for a bicycle rim designed for a tubeless assembly of the tire, or in other words, an assembly without an air tube.
The invention is also related to a bare rim designed for a tubeless assembly, a rim and a complete wheel equipped with such a valve.
2. Description of Background and Relevant Information
Wheels without air tubes are advantageous because they save on the weight, cost, and assembly of the air tube. In addition, there are fewer risks of flat tires. In fact, a foreign body that crosses the wall of the tire generally remains imprisoned in the tire, such that even under such circumstances, the wheel remains inflated longer than a wheel equipped with an air tube.
Wheels devoid of air tubes have been disclosed in numerous patent applications or published patents, for example, the patent applications published as DE 37 27 051, EP 615865, or U.S. Pat. No. 3,008,770.
All these disclosures describe means that seal the rim in the area of the passage openings for the spokes. These means generally consist of a rim base that covers the spoke openings and laterally joins the edges of the tire so as to define a closed cavity.
A patent application published as WO 93/09963 discloses a dual bridge rim, the upper bridge of which is not bored, and where the spoke nuts are screwed directly in the lower bridge. The sealed cavity is thus defined by the upper bridge of the rim and the tire.
As such, it is known how to seal or almost seal an annular cavity formed between the tire and the rim, without having to use an air tube.
The problem that arises, however, consists of filling this cavity with air via a valve that crosses the wall of the rim. In addition, the passage of the rim wall by the valve must also be sealed. There are some constructions that associate the valve to the rim base. The European patent application published as EP 616 911 discloses such a rim base.
However, this does not resolve all problems related to sealing. In addition, changing the valve means having to dismantle the tire completely. Finally, it makes the rim base indispensable, even though this element is largely useless in the absence of an air tube.